Trolley conductor support



Sept. 14, 1943.

A G. DENBIN TROLLEY CONDUCTOR SUPPORT Filed July 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 14, 1943. A. G. DENBIN 2,329,340

TROLLEY CONDUCTOR SUPI 'OR'I Filed July 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheer, 2

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR pained? f PgtehtedSefit. 14; 1943 v I 7 I mommy Gamma-120m surron'r *My invnbionrekiea generally, to trelleyon- "au wrsupp issga a fi m's-reference, in particuflat, to bufiebohsttutins and bur ved 's' egments I fbrusein overheadtmflysysemsz r I The objectof my invenfiibri generally sis'ate, is

w provide fbr"contifiuorisly' supporting" an oiverf heaqtrqHey li any-p. paircffltrqlley wires; at a 7 Another object; of my invention isto'prdvfde an adjustable 'curvdfsuppbffmemher 01' "segment 1 which may "be re'agdily gaqaptw t o' curvaturesf of djflelfntjz a'd'ii 1017 {Supporting a "trolley wire at a 3 A .1. -11," Vi x 4'. I "I I V. V I f A' Iurthr jobje ct' tfmy inventiozt is to provide a readity adaptable suppjqrtf' for a gi-do' ve d brorley wix ejopsuppdrtmg the trolley wire ix'ifla smooth curve fof "gontinii ous engageme t: mm a, current collectorm. 1. M I

at 'ac'urve' having suitable means fdiimaintaining the proper tensio r i i n the trolleywrewithout dis Ii; practicing wi e that-l t b n m e r up d' yi r awnr nt sweet n, Th y oi; s., ,c ed 5 segment; member may be curved laterally to suit the particular situation, and; suitable: clamping megn sy mag be;provided; for detaqhgbly seen-ring the er lley wire; along the; lowqmedge fixed Y maki'napmvisi'on ioriusing different reinforcing megstoy pymprfoviding for adiustment; of the means, the segment may adju'sfd ta diffi'e'rgn't curvatures, I

In this manner; a curved c onsfrrm tiin may be provided witheut requiring the numerous pull-offs andapproach memberswhibh will provide asmootfifeonfiinuous pathfoi -a e'urr'ent' cot-1 nbise" 'occasibned" by me 'assa e of the current collector frm th trelley wire to the apbypgch members, and; vi'ceversf in the ususl type 1 overhead-curveconstmcfiibn;-

For a more m let undrsmndm' 05 the nature and scope offmy inv'nfiiom; reference -rn-ay be [had to the foildwir'rg dbtail d" de ripfimg accompanyingdrawings; in which:

Figural is'a partialplfa ment of the, invention; Fig; 2 *isja. side'e1ev'ation inent illustrated in Fig.

View

Referring. particular-1y m Figur'r' 'fithej. firafiz-t ings, themefetence mullet? I a. substantially s l'f sust mingfc urye ponst uc:-;-

be gupgontedipitfg oyrhad in Shaded relation, by 1Jhe along tgdpxirvgfisgineifihim li s I a w fii wi m mmemw b I pr d ,w nm t mew Q Hw J h m mam- 2 e t v ly, twh ch whi (not shown) may be a taehgd posihigmmg them in the overhe a d system smce thes e ge ment members are substgantigflhii with respect in the; pla tesg pnli' npepd members; is shown, so as to illustrate tsh tiommoreclearlyzif" A vL A a: J v

Reierrmg, ipa-rbicularm-tu; 53 85 112.; 3 infl the'drawings, it" be" obsenvel ztghgtezfiheplat-es which may" be" t xkeh'jin connectig'n withj the i im. wh

11.30 dnots, generally;

and 22 may be suitably formed, having arched central portions which may be secured to the curved segment members in any suitable manner, such as by welding. The end portions of the plates may be slightly depressed so as tobring the points of attachment thereto more nearly into the horizontal plane of the trolley wire. The outer portion thereof may be pro- Vided with eyes 23 for securing pull-oil's or the like thereto, and maybe bent upwardly at a slight angle to the horizontal so as to permit a pull-off attached thereto to apply a direct pull thereto and yet apply a downward pull on the pole or other support to which it is attached, so as to reduce the strain on the support. able means, such as the insulating members- 24, which may be of a well-known type, having end members 26 ror'securing them. to .the plates 29 and 22, may be provided for positioning the seg ment members in the desired spaced relation relative to eachother; g a M h The curved segment members l6 and jg may be of any desiredconstruction comprisingfor example 1 suitable lengths oi structural angle sections, such as shown in Figs. 3 ;and 4. With a. view to imparting a limited'degree of resiliency to the curved segment men bersso asto cushion Suit- ,the curved segment from the desired curvature the effects of any impacts on the trolley wires in the vicinity of the curveconstruction and permitthe segmentmembers to adjust themselves to the proper degree of curvature at the particular location where .used, the horizontal leg portions thereof may be cutaway towards the ends so as to produce a gradual taper thereof, thus allowing ailexing ofv the end portions. This permits more readily the forming of the segment membersto thedes'ired curvature; as well as adding to the resiliency of these members. 1 l

Inorder to support the trolleyfwires i2 and [4 throughout the curve, and provide .forthe uninterrupted engagement therewith of current collectors'the trolley'wires Hand 14 may e -so secured to the outer edges of the segment members that the surfaces thereof engaged by the current collectors are clear of the segment'niembers. For example, suitable wire-positioning meansmay be provided on the outer face of the segment memberssuchlas the lip portions3fl and 32, which'may be provided byfrriachinin'g grooves 34 and 35 along the'o-uter faces oi'the curved segments adjacent the ,lower edges "thereof; The trolley wires I2" and I4 mayithen'be positioned against the .outer curved "faces of the segment members with the lip. portions 30 and'32 in the grooves 15 of the trolley wiresfFor" the purpose of securing 'thetrolley wires l2 and M to the curved segments l5 and l8,suitable means, such for; example, as the clampmembers 42 may be provided, having lip portions 44 at one end for engaging the groove I5 in the trolley wire, and projecting fulcrum portions 43 'at'the other end for bearing'against the vertical leg ofthe curved segment. Means, such'as the hollow hexagonal screw members 48 threaded into-the segment members; may beprovided for-drawingthe clamp members 42' into engagement-with the trolley wires and securing them in fixedrelaticn to the curved segment members. l I Referring to Fig. 5; the reference numeral 50 denotes generally another embodiment of the invention which may be advantageously. used for supporting a trolley wire 52 at a-locationwhere the angle of curvature is relatively large. Under such circumstances-it will be understood that the pull exerted by the trolley wire 52niay be .con-

siderable and the tendency thereof to deform be provided, which maybe connectedat one end of the body member 54 adjacent the ends thereof, and at the other end to a pull-off plate 60 to which suitable pull-off means (not shown) may be attached for transmitting the pull of thetrolley wire to the plate 60 and maintaining i In this manner thebody member 54 may be relieved of at least .a large part of the pull of the trolley the propertension in the trolley wire.

wire.

. ..The, body me er .5 o t se ment. m m may for example, comprise a relatively light bar or strap member, which n ay, in amanner similar to that described in connection'with the embed ment of the invention illustrated; im-Figs.)- l through .4, be provided with a lip portion- 62 for engaging the groovej tin' one side'oflthe trolley wire to positionit for.uninterrupted engagement by acurrent-collector. Suitablclamp members 65 may be provided at spaced intervals alongthe body member 54, having screws 65,- for securing the. trolley the body member.

Referring particularly I to bers 68 and 10, may be utilizedfongsecurin ft e tension members 56 and. to the body {member In one form the end members may p'om' prise plate members which may be secured 'to' exert, a. ullin the. plane or th'e t'rol ey wire. nd.

provide clearance for a'current collectoritravers ing the curve segment- I s I In )order to reinforce the relatively lightjgand flexible body member'54" and relievelit'oftheeffects "of any. tensionin the portion of thei'jtr'olley wire which is secured to the body member 54, suitable means such as thetension bar "14 may be provided, As shown in'Figs. '5 and. ,7,]tl ie tension bar 14 may be connected at one jendto the pull-off plate 50, and at the other end to a suitable support plate 16, which may be attached to substantially themidpoint of the bodymember 54 by welding it thereto. Ifhe support plate may beef-a dished construction with theend'por tion on eitherside of the bodymen-iber 54 depressed, so that any-pull exertedthereon-maylbe subar tially in the horizontal plane of thetr'olle'y' wire. Inorder to provide for adjusting theQrelative ly flexible body member 54 .to predetermined curvatures to suit diflerent conditions and re taining the predetermined curvatures thereof, suitable means may be provided for varying the effective length ofthe tension bar 14,- so"as to vary the distance between the support' plate 16 and the pull-ofiJplate 60, For example; the ten 0 sion bar .14 mayibe.gprovidedfwith oppositely threaded portions 18 and adjacenttheoppo site.v ends thereof which threadedly engage threaded ear portions'BZ andl84, respectively, on

the pull-on plate 60;and the support plate 16y a relatively light wire in fixed relation A to Figs. 5, c, that; it j may beseen thatmeans, such -asthe ,end riieme tainthe desired curvature.

By rotating the tension 'lk the body mom-I ber 54-may be adjusted toassumedifierentpredetermined curvatureswi-thin arelatively Wide range; of 'values."

With a view to i abil it'sy of the relatively flexible body member- 5-1, and I maintaining the desired curvature therein, suitable-means may be provided for varying the 'ifective length of the tension members EG and 58 For example, the tension members 5i and 58-which are connected to the pull-oil plate-(13w by; means ofthe-holes $6 the ends thereoi forreoeivingthe clevis pins w of the tension mombers,- m ay be provided with turnbuckleswll and: flitovary their effective length.

- By adjusting the turnbuckles fi and 52,'.to-

gether'lwitlr the adjustable tension M, the

radius'ofi curvature; oi -the relatively flexible body member: 540f the'curved segment 50, may varied over a relatively wide range s o as to at -v In this. manner, a curved-segment member of thetypeherein disclosed'may be utilizedin the overhead. system at ncreasing the range adjust-c any. of a-humber of locations where there are curves of: different radii, merely by adjusting the curvature oi? the member B-ythus utilizing one form curved segmentmember for covering. a.

relatively wide range: of different curvatures in' an overhead trolley system thestock of curved segment members required to be maintained maybe greatly reduced It is: to be. understood: that while only. one of substantiall tai ige n t to the endsoiuthebody the curved segment members ofcthis particular embodiment: of the invention has been illustrat ed: and described, I a pair. of suchv members maybe employed in the same: manner as shown in: Fig.

fior ex l, where two-trolley: wires-are used, such, ample; asin trolley bus systems.

From the above description, and the accompanying :drawings, it Willi be apparent that I have in: my inventioit'provided; a simple. and; in-. expensive curved construction. for overhead. trolley' systems, which may be readily installed and which: provides for continuous support or. the trolleyv Wire. trolley wire is supported: soJas to maintainta. smiooth. curvaturethereofunderall operating conditions- Since thetrol-ley wire ispositioned so as to be in continuous; engagew ment with the current collector in :its passage alongfthe, curve, the need: for approach memhers is eliminated andthenoise, ear, and other troubles occasioned by the use of. such approach memberspis-thereby. obviated, resulting in a longerliie of thetrolle-y Wire andthe'cu'rrent collector and improvedroperation thereof, in.

general. v

Since certain, changes'may be 'made. in the above description, and difierent embodiments: of. thei'nvention may be made without departing from-i the. spirit thereof, it is intended: that all the matter contained-in the above description, or shown in the; accompanyingdrawings shall. be

considered as illustrative, and not in a limiting rent collector.

2 \A-curve construction for an overhead trolley system; comprising,{anelongated laterally-curved body memberhaving 1 means for supporting the] member; in; an overhead trolley system, means'comprisinga groove along 'the convex side adjacent-thelower edge of the body member-{for receiving and-"continuously engaging a portion ofa'trolly wire,- and a pluralityoi' spaced clamp meansfmountedon the conv'ex side ofi I member cooperative witli the: aforesaid means to detachably secure the trolley wire to the fbod y member to provi'de a-smoothlat'eralcurve therei directing-a currenttcollector there- 3. money? conductor sup-porting; device "for use 'withfa "trolley conductor to form a curve comprising; an. .elongated body member havmg' a predetermined curvature,- means" to secure the;

ductor thereto adjacent the ends in VW predetermined relation, a strain plate havimg' a portiomconnected' to-th'e bod'y'member interme diate its ends anddepressed end POI'tlOHSiuPl'O- J'ectingthereirom on! opposite 'sides oi thebody niember withmeans to receive supportinginieans, and meansJconn'ected-at' one-end adjacent and member vvi the otherends connected .toxthe, proie'ctingortion of the strain plate; on the convex sid'e of'thebody member in substantially the normal horizontallplaiie ofithe condiictorto I, maintainthapredeterm-inedcurvature 'ofithe body g;.w

to ,l I i. A strain-plate for anaoverheadi trolleyicom ducton supporting device;having an adjustable curved part adapted to: support the 2 conductor comprising a; member having a raised. interme-;

diate portion to which the said 'curved part is adapted to attached and depressed; projecting end portions 'onfo-pposite sides of said: cufved p-artQm'eans associated'witli one end portiomto c cooperate'w-ith one end-ofeach/of a pair or tension- 7, inem-bersmaving theother'ends connected to-isaid i curved part" adjacent itsends and perm-it changing the position of the saidone ends relative i the point of attachmentof' the said intermediate portion to the said curvedpart;whereby to vary 1 thecurvature oi-saidcurvedpart.

5i Thecombination in a curved segment construction ior anfoverhead trolley conductor systemgoifan elongated laterally' curvedbody mem-Iv r be]: adapted to be secured: 'in' the conductor" system, said body "member-- having;- a groove on the conveit sideadjaceri t the lower edge thereof:,' said groovejdefining 'a lip portion-forming the lower edge; oi-the body memberand -so shaped asto be positioned in -the groove ina trolley conductor;

and'a-plurality of clam-p means secureduto the I body member-on-thecon-vex-side cooperativelwith the lip portion atspacedintervals to-secure the trolleyconductor to lower edge of the body member to provide "fordi-rectengagement of the trolley "conductor with a; :currentcollector. j 6; A trolley wire supportingdevice foruse with atrolley wire forming a curve of an overhead system; comprising" an" elongatedcurvedbarof rectangular cross-section,-'-;pul1-ofiv means positionecf onthe convex sideofthe-bar intermediate the endsthereof tension 'members providectwith turnbuckles 'fonadjusting the length thereof con-f n'ected between" th uu-onf means and the ends ofthe bar, and m'eans adjustablyconnecting:the I wire along'the lower, edge of the body mer'nber a lateral curvefior-adirect engagementby a-ccur I pull-off means, to the bar intermediate the ends thereof including an adjustable tension bar:

7,. Asupport for a trolley wire forming a part;

of aac'urve, of an overhead trolley systemcomprising .an elongated bar of metal, means securing the'trolley wire adjacent the ends of the bar,

means to maintain the curvature ofothe-bar when subjected, to side strains including a pull-'ofi member, positioned on the convexside of the bar,

tension members connected adjacent the ends of the bar and to the pull-off member, and means adjustably connecting the pull-oft member to thebar, adjacent its longitudinal center whereb the curvature of the bar-may be varied; V

,8; Ai curved :segment for supporting a grooved trolley conductor in an overheadtrolley conductor system comprising, a flexible body member havinga lip portion adjacentthe lower edge for engaging-the groove in, the trolley conductor,

means cooperative with the lip portion for ,se- I curing the trolley conductor "along the lower edge of the, bodymember to provide a continuousexposed conductor surfaceofor guiding a current collector, and means securedto the bodymember for adjusting the curvature thereof. a 9. The combination in awcurve construction assembly for overhead trolley systems, of an elongated, relatively flexible body member, means for securinga trolley wire to the body member to provide a smooth surface for guiding a current collector; a support member connected intermediate the ends of the bodymembers, and means connectingthe ends of;body member to the support member insubstantially the plane of the trolley, wire for transmitting the tension of the trolley wire to thessupportrmember.

=10. Acurved segmentassembly for an overhead trolleyconductor system comprising, a'relatively flexible body member having means for securing ,erally flexible body member having means adjacent-the lower edge thereof for continuously supporting and aligning a trolley conductor along the outer edge with the current collector engagingsurface thereof positioned for uninterrupted engagement with a current collector, a support member, means connecting the body member and the support member for adjusting'and maintaining the lateral curvature of the body member, and, clamping means forsecuring the trolley conductor to the body member, s a 1 12. A support for agrooved trolley conductor comprising, a laterally flexible body member having an integral lip portion on the lower edge for engaging the groove in the trolley conductor so as to position the conductor with the current collector engaging surface continuously exposed throughout the length of. the body member for guidinga current collector,clamp members secured to the body member at spaced intervals for securing the trolley conductor to the body member, a pull-ofi plateyandadjustable means plate foradjllstably flex n ithe,bodypiember a p ura itylo i er t rr ures.

13. 'A curved construction for supporting a of grooved trolley conductorsinacurvejinan overhead trolley conductor system comprisin a,

pair of elongated laterally curved body members each having a grooveon the convex side adjacent-the lowergedgefor receiving and continn ously engaging a portion of oneof the trolley conductors and aplurality of clamping means secured to the body member at spaced interva s on the side having the groove fonsecuringthe said portion of the-trolley conductors, therein so as to continuously support and position-the trolley conductors', in ,curvedlpathso conforming to the, curvature of the ,curved body members for uninterrupted engagement with a pair,,;of

current collectors, insulatingmembers operatively connected to the body members for securing the body members .in spaced relation, and

transverse pull-off meanspositioned intermediate the ends of the members vfor supporting the members in the trolley conductor system. l 14. A support for a trolley wire forming a part of a curve of an overhead trolley system" comprising an elongated laterally curved bar of,

metal having a central portion and end portions, means to secure the trolley wire to the @bar adjacent the end portions, pull-off means -secured to the central portion" of the bar and pro:

jecting to the convex side thereof,- and tension members'connected adjacent the 'endpor'tions v of the bar and to the projecting pull-ofifmeans,

said tension members being provided with'turnbuckles to vary the vlength thereof whereby the curvature of the bar may be'varied.

15. A rigid curve unit for use ina continuous trolley conductor system-comprising,' a laterally,

flexible curved body member having a predetermined lateral curvature, pull-off means secured to the body 'memberintermediate the ends and projecting transversely thereof on. the convex side of the body membenmeans to secure the conductor in predetermined relation to. thebody member adjacentthe ends thereof, and means extending substantiallytangentially from the a laterally flexible bodymember having'means for securing a trolley conductor thereto to pro- Vide a smooth surface for guiding acurrent collector, support plate means connected to the body' member intermediate the ends thereof and projecting to the convex side for positioning the curve assembly in the trolley conductor system, and a plurality of substantially rigid tension members connected between the'support plate .means and the body member adjacentthe ends thereof to maintain a predetermined' degreeof lateral deformation in the body member. 5

17. A curve assembly'for trolley conductor sys tems comprising, an elongated and laterally flexible bodymember, means for securing a'trolley conductor to the body member, means including laterally projecting portions with depending ears positioned in spaced relation to the body member adjacent the ends thereof, a pull-ofi 'plate opera tively connected to the body memberintermediate the ends, and 'aplurality. of rigid tension .4 tits lo i u ina ,cent nm a S fo the radius 'of curvature pif the bar associated theiends of the'bar andrnovably associated ithth n atejwher b r e cur t re f e bar "maybeeithergincreased or decreased without alteringltheattachxnentof the bar to the plate and means tddetachab ly secure the'said means-to theplateito maintain said curvature.

26 A deviee to- -sumbort apainofcontinuous "trolley yvires .on, a curve in an overhead trolley system comprising, a; pair of supports he'ld'in 'paral'l'eli and spaced relation, each suppOrt com- ,prisin an elongated curved bar "of metalbendnecting the ends of the bar in tangential relaableinfthe .directicprrer curvature, means contimto angu a elatd io one of t trolley wires; transversely disposed plate means associated with thebar intermediateits ends and n ie ting lat r l in t e; bon exis deo the be "ni a sonthemate me n .b w ieh tta m n may bejmade to theplate means for positloning t; e ns i 'x e su stan iall t en a rem; di iw t e SlSIQi the b r a attached to'the.platemeansftomaintain the ends of the bar in predeterminedspacial relationto the plate T means, means'adjustably securing the bar intere 1 mediatejthe ends thereof to the plate means at different" I distances from the :attachment of, the r said' me n rt 'fi e plate mea s w r b e curvature ot the bar maybe varied and; maintained, f and insulating means operatlvely conmeeting; said plate means of the two supports :Whereby the supports-are held i-n'spaced, parallel and insulated relation.

means-at 2 65 1 to ei r n m n for ltheplate means,-a curved bar with means 1 217; In combination, strain plate means with 'thereon to'attachthe' bar to the plate rne'ans e "intermediatei its 'endsfa continuous trolley "wire positioned along the convex side of the' bar and projecting away from each end of the 'ba'r me'ans at each end of the bar, to receive the trolley wire and hold itinpredeterminedrelation to the bar and elongated means attached were bar on s ;each side"o f the'platemeans and spaced there-1 y from and also attached'to the plate means to 'rnaintain'the, -curvature Oflthe bar, the axis of each elongated means being substantially in alignment with the axis of the projecting-portion of the trolley wire nearest the elongated" means.

I 28, "A deviceto support a trolleyiwire' forming part; of ,an'nverhead"systeinconiprising an elonmas was me ber and the f ther "ends v oithe elongated means being associatedtvith the *transversemember atpoints equally spaced from the bar at adjustable distances therefrom whereby thecurvature of the bar subtended py the said me ns ma e th n re se i. fined! wew wiu w h be ie' s me t m n- -'tainediagainstside strains in servicie and means associated with thebar to secure the trolley wire ioih b {29, A trolley conductor support comprising, an

1 elongatedflaterally cujrvable metal body 'rnem ber, means associated with ithe member .to position thetrolley conductor'in predeter- "rnined relation to said; body member;- laterally projecting means attached to i the" body member intermediate its endsftension members secured atlonefend adjacent opposite "ends of the body member and extending towardthe' projecting means, and attaching means adjustable to connect the otherjends of the tension members to the projecting means" in a'plurality of positions whereby the curvature of the body member may e varied without changing the lengtnof the tension members. s

30.]A curveconstruction'for use with a trolley 'conductorcomprising, an elongated laterally V curvable body member, means secured to the body memberfto position the trolley conductor in predetermined relation relative thereto, tension members extending towardeach other Irom '31; A' trolley conductor support comprising, an elongated: laterally flexible c'urved metal bar, means to secure the trolley conductor in predeterminedf relation to the bar, means secured, 1 adjacent the endslof the bar havingupper portions extending to; the outer side of the bar with depending ears, tension members connectedvto gated; bar lof bendable, metalfcrmed to a prede- U termin ed curvature, a transverse supportmember:

secured'to the bar adjacent its longitudinal center, elongated means, the said means having ends associated ,With the bar at points on opposite end portions of the barand spaced from the the depending ears in sub'stantiallythe normal horizontalplane of the trolley conductor and extending toward' each other in :-.suestam1auy tangential relation'to the ends of the' bar, and means connectingthe adjacent ends of the tension members i to the" bar intermediate 1 its ends adjustableto vary thepositions of the adjacentends of the-tension members relativeto theintermediate portionofv ,the -barso'as to vary the curvature of the bar-and maintain-a predetermined curvature therein. 1

AD PH DENBIN. 

